CH 135

“.....No? He just showed me a demonstration?”

I tilted my head at Dietrich’s gradually lowering voice and found the cause for such sensitivity.

‘There must have been various perfumes sprayed on various bodies, so if the scent of many people mixes then it would smell bad.’ 

Understanding his pain, I nodded my head. 

“I know you’re sensitive right now, but don’t ignore Camilla Luzen. You should go out and dance at least once.” 

“Why should I?”

“I already told you. In the future, instead of the South, the plan is to trade with Luzen.” 

“So, are you telling me to whisper sweet nothing like Yuric?” 

I kept my mouth shut at Dietrich’s eyebrows rising in dissatisfaction. 

‘I’m not asking you to.’ 

I couldn’t even imagine him smiling brightly like Yuric and making the ladies swoon. 

“Who told you to do that? It’s just being polite.” 

He didn’t respond to what I said with pouting lips. 

I forgot my original purpose and nagged at him so I cleared my throat in a hurry. 

“Hm, ahem.”

“What is it again.” 

His reaction felt like an order to make a guest leave. 

I glanced at his exposed handsome forehead and then dropped the folding fan to the ground, which in my opinion, was a very awkward way. 

“Oh my?”

“.........”

“My fan fell to the ground.” 

I didn’t mean to act as clumsily as this, but what was I supposed to do when I have no talent in this? 

Dietrich, who looked between me and the sparkling beautiful fan on the ground, then let out a sigh as if he was dumbfounded. 

“What a spectacle.” 

I did my best to ignore his evaluation and carefully bent my waist. Fortunately, Celine taught me the posture correctly so I was able to follow it. 

‘Emphasize the curves in a natural way.’

Uhm, and what else was there? 

“Ah, It’s h-hot. I think it’s a little hot today.” 

After picking up the fan, I spread it out and tapped my collarbone. Following my gesture, Dietrich’s gaze seemed to be riveted. 

‘Does it have an effect?’ 

His aura hadn’t moved since earlier so I couldn’t properly read his emotions. 

‘......I think his expression has gotten worse.’

Madame Celine said at this point, the next order was for his face to turn red. 

But Dietrich was staring at me instead of blushing. 

“I don’t know why you think it’s hot when the wind’s this cold.” 

I was momentarily speechless at his callous response. 

“I mean, I’m hot?”

“......I think I’ve seen that action a while ago.” 

He opened his red lips after watching my awkward performance with indifferent eyes. 

“Are you practicing what you ask Yuric to do on me?” 

“...........”

“It was so clumsy that I didn’t know what you were doing at all.”

“Shut up!” 

────── 〔✿〕──────

He turned his back, covering his embarrassed cheeks. 

He had almost gotten caught. 

When he couldn’t control his emotions properly, an insidious mind would fill up his throat. 

Dietrich pressed one hand on the shadow demon that came up to cover the back of his neck in an instant. 

“Your Grace, Duke Luzen is looking for you.”

Instead of Oslo, the knight who escorted him was Henry. 

In the end, he was forced to look for Dietrich, who had not been seen in a long time, in response to the flames of the people looking for the Grand Duke. 

Henry approached Dietrich, who had not moved from the balcony as if there was gold smeared on it, and opened his mouth curiously.

“.....Your Grace?”

“............”

“Are you all right?”

Dietrich, who didn’t answer, gripped the balcony post tightly with his right hand. 

Seeing the prominent veins popping at the back of his hand as he gripped the post with great force, the knight was startled and approached him. 

“Are you feeling unwell?” 

“No, I’m fine.” 

Dietrich, who replied belatedly, took his hand off the balcony post and covered his face. His ears, which could not be covered by his large hand, were burning red. 

“This is driving me crazy.” 

The knight didn’t know the reason for his citing of a curse and only opened his eyes in wonder. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

‘If it’s not good then just say it isn’t!’

Did he have to put me to shame like that? 

I rushed out of the balcony while stroking my hot cheeks. 

As soon as I entered the hall, Peter Devonshire approached me as if he had been waiting. He greeted me with a friendly smile as always. 

“Princess, may I ask you for a dance?”

I couldn’t refuse the hand that reached out to me when he bent his waist as well. Thinking about the show I had in front of Dietrich made me want to go into a rat hole, but I still had work to do as a ducal princess. 

“All right.” 

As I held Peter’s hand and glided towards the center of the hall, people started chattering. Some even blushed at whatever they were imagining. 

‘There’s a bunch of people who like to exaggerate my relationship with Peter.’ 

At this rate, I’d probably be the one to be at the headline of the daily newspaper instead of Veronica or Yuric. Peter politely moved his mouth as if he was worried about me glancing around. 

“They are people who are overly interested in others. Please don’t be concerned.” 

My lips twitched as I followed his lead while inside his firm arms. His body stiffened as if he was concentrating on every breath that I took. 

‘Looking at his reaction, I can see why such rumors are spreading.’

I had lived surrounded by people whose minds and feelings couldn’t be easily read even with Eredia’s abilities. 

So it was a little strange to see a transparent person like Peter. 

Even the triplets were good at hiding their feelings.

‘I don’t even have to speak about Dietrich.’ 

I thought I knew the feelings that were sometimes revealed, but if I hold onto it and dig deep, it scatters as if it were an illusion that I had alone. 

‘I really can’t figure it out.’

“Greetings to Your Grace.” 

For example, right now. 

Instead of receiving Peter’s greetings, I looked back at Dietrich who was standing in the middle of the hall, staring at us. 

Earlier, he was indifferent as if he didn’t care what I did, but now, his eyes were on fire again. 

‘Why is he like that, really?’

I glanced up at his eyes, which were blazing as if they would be scalding if I touched them. No matter who looked at it, he was undoubtedly jealous, but he didn’t say a word to me. 

This was why people get confused. 

I was a little annoyed at Dietrich’s mood swings so I ignored him and started to dance again.

“P-Princess.” 

As I clung and held on to Peter’s well-trained and firm arms, he called me with a troubled face. He leaned close to me and whispered in my ears. 

“His Grace looks like he’s going to tear me apart to death.” 

“Ehy, there’s no way he would really kill you, you know?” 

".........."

Peter’s face turned deathly pale when I responded casually to his words full of fear. I giggled saying it was a joke. 

“It’s his usual expression. There’s no need to be scared.” 

Reassured by my words, Peter stepped a little closer to me. 

When I felt a little burdened because the music has turned romantic, an unknown hand grabbed my shoulder strongly. 

I could tell who was standing behind me without looking back because of the chilly fragrant scent that spreads out. 

“Don’t be rude.” 

He roughly separated Peter and me, then I tapped his hand with the fan before opening my mouth. I couldn’t get rid of the embarrassment I felt earlier. 

He smirked at my reaction as if he found it surprising. 

“Why are you smiling?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re thinking.”

Dietrich look at me squarely in the face with sparkling obsidian-like eyes and repeated the same words lowly.

Reading the atmosphere, Peter bowed his waist and stepped back then Dietrich put his large hand around my waist. 

“What are you doing?”

“You said you wanted to dance.”

“.............”

“Then dance.” 

I didn’t mean to say I wanted to dance with him. 

However, the hand holding on to my waist was so strong that I felt like if I turned around and ran away, I would fall. 

Having no choice, I leaned close to him and whispered. 

“Sir Devonshire must be humiliated.”

“It’s not my business.”

“We received a lot of help from them with regard to the thing with Luzen.”

“That, too, is none of my business.” 

I raised my eyes at him in a fit of anger at Dietrich’s insensitive remarks. He swept the corners of my eyes which were raised with one hand and grinned. 

“Don’t smile. What do you mean it’s none of your business? Who do you think I’m–!”

‘Who do you think I’m doing all this hard work for?’ 

He was the reason why we needed Luzen, and the was the reason why we need to win the rose war. 

Because I didn’t want him to be alienated even if he lost his power. 

However, I was afraid that if I talked more, my voice would get louder so I had no choice but to swallow my words. 

“I know you want to say it’s because of me.” 

"............."

“You never asked for my opinion.” 

I lifted my head as Dietrich whispered softly. 

Now, he had grown so big that I had to lift my neck so much that it hurts just to meet his eyes. 

His gaze slowly swept over my flustered face and continued. 

“But I endured it because you wanted it, and I will continue to endure in the future.”

“Endure what?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” 

I was surprised at the sound of Dietrich grinding his teeth that my eyes widened, but soon I let out a sigh and conceded. 

Until Lagrange had stabilized, I wanted to pretend that I didn’t know how he felt. 

‘But it’s really confusing that it's a bit unfair.’ 

“So get it straight.”

"............."

“Do you want me to react to you or do you want me to be patient? I’ll follow whatever you want.” 

It’s been a while since the music had changed but Dietrich didn’t let me go. There were young ladies loitering around to be his next partner but it was as if he couldn’t see them. 

He gestured at Peter with his chin, who was still looking at me. 

“Instead, don’t let bastards like that catch my eye.” 

Because I wanted to break his neck but held it in. 

I blinked, wondering if the words stuck in my ear were hallucinations.